4 Reasons You Should Stop Setting Goals

We are more than halfway through the year. That means a large percentage of you who set goals for this year have either fallen behind, given up on them, or got distracted and forgot about them.

And if you didn’t set any goals this year, you’re likely no further on your way toward achieving anything either.

Today, I’d like to offer a different perspective on goal setting: Don’t set goals.

What? A leadership expert telling you not to set goals? Well, kinda. Here are four reasons you should abandon goal-setting:

1. Don’t set goals IF that is all you are going to do. If your organization mandates that you establish team or individual goals, you probably write them down. You probably get people thinking about the possibilities; you might even raise morale a bit. Until you fail to take action. If your action stops at setting a goal, you’ve just wasted time. Only set goals if you intend to make the effort to reach them.
2. Don’t set goals IF you don’t have a clear and meaningful purpose in achieving them. Any goal you set must be beneficial to the team, the organization or your personal well-being. Without that, it is a waste of time. Define the reason for meeting the goal, lay out the benefits and keep reminding yourself and others why the goal is important. That will keep you focused and moving forward.
3. Don’t set goals IF you aren’t prepared to take immediate action. Right after setting a goal is when your energy and emotion are highest. Capitalize on that moment in time and start building your plans for achievement right then. Besides, if you don’t get started on the plan, you won’t achieve anything anyway.
4. Don’t set goals IF you are aren’t serious about achieving them. You may not reach every one 100% or in the timeline you hoped for. But if you aren’t committed, why even start? In the short term, you’ll simply waste your time and effort. Plus, you’ll build a habit of setting goals that you never fully intend to meet.

In Bud to Boss, we’ll help you learn how to not just set goals properly but (and equally as important), how to actually achieve them! Learn more here.

Yes, I believe in the power and importance of goal setting, for us as individuals, for teams, for families and for organizations. But you must set goals for the right reasons and with the right intention. If you have that part right, get on with setting your goals.

If not, stop. Figure that out before you set a single goal. If you don’t, you just set yourself up to fail anyway.